Just in time for the coronation of
King Charles III
comes this release, featuring music written for the coronations of George II in 1727 and of George I before him. The
Handel
works, written for the 1727 event, are the pure public
, with imposing choral-orchestral chords interspersed with straightforward but not simple episodes of counterpoint. They are meant to be crowd-pleasers, and indeed, they are; they're hard to ruin. What is on offer here from the
RIAS-Kammerchor Berlin
and the
Akademie fuer alte Musik Berlin
under conductor
Justin Doyle
are elegant but undersized performances characteristic of the Continental historical performance movement. Reports from
's time indicated an orchestra of 160; here are but 20 players. The choir, at 36 singers, is closer to
's 40, and this veteran group delivers a rich, satisfying sound with a rounded tone from the smaller solo group (not indicated in the score but often performed as it is here). The anthem
The Lord Is a Sun and Shield
is not by
but by
William Croft
, and one will be struck by how close it is to
stylistically. The overture to
's
Occasional Oratorio, HWV 62
, serves as an overture to the whole program, and there is a typically odd
Chaconne
by
John Blow
as an interlude. These are less-splendid but highly enjoyable performances for reliving the coronation atmosphere. ~ James Manheim